Judson Care Academy

Judson Care Academy in Converse, TX, is a small alternative school within the Judson Independent School District (Isd) serving just 86 students in grades 6 through 12, with a primary mission focused on student retention and recovery rather than traditional academic acceleration.

This school stands out for its extraordinary investment in each student, spending over $1.2 million per pupil—more than 90 times the amount spent at nearby Judson High School ($8,898) or Karen Wagner High School ($8,813). This massive spending supports an extremely low student-to-teacher ratio of 6.9:1, roughly half that of comprehensive high schools in the area. The payoff is a perfect zero percent dropout rate over the last five years, a stark contrast to the district average of 2.5%. However, this focus on keeping students enrolled comes at a cost: academic proficiency is critically low, with the school scoring 0% proficient in several core subjects like 6th Grade Reading and Math. The school consistently ranks in the bottom 10% of Texas high schools, suggesting it functions more as a social safety net than a traditional academic institution.

Interestingly, the school shows a relative bright spot for English Language Learner (ELL) students, who ranked in the 35th percentile statewide—the highest star rating of any subgroup at the school. Test scores also fluctuate wildly due to small class sizes; for example, U.S. History EOC scores jumped from 20% proficient to 80% proficient in a single year. Compared to a similar alternative school, Allison L Steele E L C in the Schertz-Cibolo-U City Independent School District (Isd), Judson Care Academy is more aggressive in preventing dropouts, even if it means students may take longer to graduate. For context, Randolph High School spends just $13,445 per student and achieves 80-90% proficiency rates, highlighting the unique trade-off at Judson Care Academy between intensive support and academic outcomes.